UNITED NATIONS
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia

The UN-Emergencies Unit (UN-EUE) deployed a rapid assessment mission
to flooded areas along Awash river following national newspaper articles,
informal reports by a DPPC/UNICEF visit to Afar Region and further information
brought to the UN-Emergencies Unit by locally based NGOs. The mission’s
objective was to obtain an overview of the actual flood and emergency situation
and observe ongoing emergency relief operations. Furthermore, the mission
tried to assess possible gaps and needs in terms of humanitarian aid to
the flood victims.

The Awash river basin is mostly located in the arid lowlands of Afar
Region in the north eastern part of Ethiopia. It frequently floods in August/September
following heavy rains in the eastern highland and escarpment areas. A number
of tributary rivers draining the highlands eastwards can increase the water
level of the Awash river in a short period of time and cause flooding in
the low-lying alluvial plains along the river course. Certain areas which
frequently, almost seasonally, get inundated are marshlands such as the
area between the towns of Debel and Gewane in the vicinity of Lake Yardi
and the lower plains around Dubti down to Lake Abe in the administrative
Zone 1 of Afar Region. The third area which often floods is the southern
part of administrative Zone 3, about 30 kilometres north of Awash town
in the vicinity of Melka Werer (see map in annex for geographical location
of mentioned places visited).

Afar Region, predominately populated by nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists,
is generally not known for settled agriculture. But the riverside land,
especially the flat lowlands, is fertile and in parts intensively cultivated
and relatively densely populated. Certain areas were developed by the former
socialist government into large irrigated state farm plantations for production
of cotton, sugar and other cash crops and in recent years some of these
formerly government operated farms have been taken over by private entrepreneurs.
These big farms attracted a considerable number of migrant workers, mostly
from overpopulated areas in the southern part of the country, i.e. Wolayita
and Gurage, who settled around the farms and whose families arrived a while
later.

In previous years, especially in 1996, the lowlands around Wonji, about
10 kilometres south west of Nazareth town and further down the river around
Metehara were flooded and state and private owned agricultural plantations
were put at risk. In this upper section of Awash river the flooding was
usually caused by the release of water from the Koka dam’s flood gates
which is necessary when the reservoir reaches its maximum capacity. Unfortunately,
in previous years the reservoir authorities experienced difficulties in
releasing water in controlled intervals, often causing flooding downstream.

General situation

This year, mainly two sections of the Awash river with villages, private
and state owned agricultural plantations were affected by inundation. The
first area is situated in Zone 3 and the second in Zone 1 of Afar Region.
Minor flooding also occurred near Metehara town in neighbouring Oromiya
Region. No flood damage has occurred in the upper reaches of the Awash
towards the Koka dam. The actual flooding destroyed approximately 9,500
ha of cropped farmland, both private and state owned (~ 5,000 ha in Zone
3, ~ 4,000 ha in Zone 1, and ~ 230 ha around Metehara, Oromyia Region).
The total area flooded this year is unknown and the number of affected
population is also difficult to assess and ranges from 3,000 to 35,000
in Zone 3 and from a few hundred to 50,000 in Zone 1. The Federal Disaster
Prevention and Preparedness Commission in Addis Ababa states that approximately
3,000 people need assistance in Zone 3. Whereas in Zone 1 no request for
assistance has yet been forwarded by the regional government in Assaita.
The Bureau for Disaster Prevention and Preparedness (DPPB) in Assaita reported
19,500 affected people to the UN-EUE mission during its visit to the regional
capital. The number of affected Peasant’s Associations (Pas) has been reported
as per the following: (for Zone 3) 12 PAs in Amibara and 3 PAs in Dulecha
wereda; (for Zone 1) 3 PAs in Assaita, 5 PAs in Afambo and 8 PAs in Dubti
wereda. A number of human settlements, especially within the affected commercial
crop farms, have been inundated and some others have been surrounded by
water and are therefore inaccessible by road. This is the case for Melka
Werer village in Amibara wereda in Zone 3. At the time of the visit the
water level in Zone 3 was decreasing whereas in Zone 1 the level was still
rising, reaching a critical level at the dykes which were built by the
agricultural enterprises to prevent flooding and destruction of the cash
crop plantations (mainly cotton, maize and sorghum).

The health situation may become an issue of concern once the water level
regresses. Stagnant water and little lakes left behind in the crop fields
by the retiring flood become perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes and
are also a source of other diseases of which dysentery is the most frequent.
In all the visited areas apparently no deaths directly related to the flooding
were reported.

General causes of flooding

This year’s flooding along Awash river was mainly caused by heavy rainfall
in the eastern highlands and escarpment areas of North Shewa and Welo and
not because of heavy rain in the upper watershed areas (i.e. upstream of
the Koka Reservoir). Over the years soil and water run-off in the escarpment
areas has steadily increased as a result of deforestation, the most serious
environmental degradation in the escarpment areas being caused by overpopulation
in the highlands. Tributaries to Awash river such as Kessem, Kebena, Hawadi,
Ataye Jara, Mille and Loqiya rivers contributed most to the lowland flooding
in Afar.

It was unanimously agreed among interviewed experts, governmental officials
and local farmers that the causes of flooding cannot be attributed to the
partial release of water from the Koka reservoir upstream. It seems that
the opening of the flood gates and the partial release of water is now
being well managed and did not cause flooding further downstream as in
previous years. Warnings were also broadcast through the public media in
advance of the planned release of water providing sufficient time for preparations
immediately downstream of the dam.

Some observers argue that the dykes constructed by the state farms and
private entrepreneurs to protect cropped farm land in the vicinity of the
riverbed
were not strong and high enough. This may be the main cause of this year’s
flooding and damage in Melka Werer area. On the other hand, silt is building
up rapidly, causing the rise of the riverbed and forcing farm entrepreneurs
to raise and reinforce their protective and preventive dykes every year.
For communities living in the lowland areas the result is one of growing
vulnerability to sudden and potentially catastrophic flooding when the
river inevitably breaks through the increasingly unstable dykes. The rise
of the riverbed due to silting is causing the Awash river to overflow in
places where it never used to overflow.

The vulnerability of the population living along the Awash river and
in the marshlands has also been exacerbated due to seemingly inappropriate
settlement patterns in these flood prone areas in recent years. Even though
most of the settlers are nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists and very
well aware of the annual flooding and its danger for themselves and their
livestock, these particular areas, with their fertile soils and abundant
vegetation, are very attractive. Especially during the dry season the riverside
areas are the only places in Afar with grazing land and are essential for
the survival of humans and livestock. People are voluntarily taking the
risk of possibly being trapped by flood. Also, migrants working for the
commercial and state farms have established permanent (and often unofficial)
settlements close to their places of work and these villages have expanded
further with the arrival of the worker’s families. As the villages have
grown and become permanent, the seasonal movements of people to the Awash
farms are no longer as marked as they were a decade ago.

Current emergency activities

Emergency committees (health, security and relief co-ordination committees)
have been established in Zones 1 and 3 of Afar Region. Whereas in Zone
3 the various sub-committees are operational and have re-established access
to the cut-off areas, taken measures to prevent malaria spread and organised
food and other relief items distributions, in Zone 1 the emergency committee
was only established a few days before the mission’s visit and no measures
and action had yet been undertaken with the exception of warning and informing
the local population of the danger of the flood. Furthermore, the mission
was told that no immediate relief had been planned for Zone 1 and no outside
help was expected. The local people were helping themselves by building
papyrus boats to rescue trapped people and livestock.

Evacuation and transport facilities to the cut-off villages in Zone
3 had been made available in the form of three boats and two amphibian
military vehicles. During the first days of flooding some rescue operations
were also carried out by helicopter. By the time of the mission’s visit
two of the three boats were out of order and one of the amphibian vehicles
was found stuck in the mud. Some food aid deliveries were dropped by helicopter
to cut-off areas (3 PAs in Amibara wereda) but most of the 65 tons of wheat
delivered by the Federal DPPC were distributed in Melka Sede and brought
in small loads to the affected areas. In addition, 180 cartons of military
biscuits were delivered for distribution. The Federal DPPC was also in
process of sending an additional 100 tons of wheat. Supplementary food
for children was not distributed and none is expected. Neither food aid
deliveries nor additional transport facilities are available or expected
in Zone 1. DPPC sent 20 rolls of UNICEF plastic sheets to Zone 3 for distribution.
But apparently plastic sheeting for shelter is not an urgent requirement
for the time being. Only very few sheets have been used.

In Zone 3 the protective dykes built to prevent the water flowing into
the commercial agricultural plantations had been breached at several places.
Workers and construction equipment, i.e. lorries, excavators etc. had been
deployed from nearby state farms and industrial enterprises to reinstate
the dykes. At the time of the mission’s visit, water was still flowing
into crop and inhabited land at a strong and steady pace at one place.
All the effort was concentrated to close the one remaining hole in the
dyke.

Health measures in Zone 3 comprised the establishment of 8 mobile clinics
that operate in addition to the local health centres. DDT spraying had
commenced in an effort to prevent the spread of malaria. Local authorities
feared that the current available drug stock, even with additional supplies
from Federal government sources, would not be enough to handle an expected
malaria and dysentery outbreak. By the time of the mission’s visit, approximately
700 malaria and 340 dysentery cases had been treated. One baby had reportedly
died of malaria. But the malaria incidents are rapidly rising. In the week
starting 6 September 1999, approximately 100 malaria cases were being reported
daily from all over Zone 3.

Problem of dismissed temporary commercial farm
employees unsolved

In Zone 3 a significant number of temporary state and commercial farm
employees have been dismissed from their jobs due to the flooding and the
damage caused to the cash crop plantations. The local authorities counted
approximately 7,000 dismissed employees and dependants who have been dislocated
by the floods and took, among other places, refuge in 4 schools. These
people, for whom (according to government policy) their respective employers
are responsible, were compensated for their dismissal with one monthly
salary of 120 Birr and a one time donation of 6 kg of wheat per family
member. Furthermore, they were told to leave the area and look for work
somewhere else. It is estimated that some 1,500 workers did so, but the
remaining and all the dependants were left behind. The local authorities
do not feel responsible for them and fear that they might not vacate their
school refuge which should have opened for the new Ethiopian school year.
Most of these part-time farm workers and dependants arrived many years
ago, mainly from overpopulated areas in the south. It is out of question
for them to return to their places of origin and most have nowhere to go.
Solutions should be discussed among local authorities and farm entrepreneurs
for they will not be able to remain in the school compounds.

Conclusions, recommendations and general
remarks

Unfortunately, the whole dimension of the Awash River flooding could
not be thoroughly assessed by the mission. For such an overall assessment
a helicopter survey would be more appropriate rather than a ground survey
as many of the flooded places and areas along Awash river were not accessible
by vehicle.

The overall situation seemed to be under control and the Federal DPPC
does not seem to be particularly worried, feeling this year’s floods were
more or less "normal". However, more drugs may be needed to treat malaria,
dysentery and other typical diseases related to floods in the affected
areas. They seem to be available at the Federal level if required.

The mission developed the impression that the Afar authorities and population
alike have a somewhat fatalistic attitude towards flooding, especially
in Zone 1 around Dubti and Assaita. The floods come every year and is viewed
as just part of the game nature plays. Everybody expects it and reacts
accordingly. Those who take too many risks and remain with their cattle
in the flood-prone areas have to assume the consequences.

For state farm operators and private commercial entrepreneurs the yearly
overflowing of Awash River is a costly burden. Average production losses
caused by the partial flooding of their plantations need to be an integrated
part of their profit calculations. They are aware that they are trying
to make business on risky ground. For the growing population of semi-settled
migrant workers, their situation is clearly becoming more precarious. Obliged
to settle in some of the most dangerous locations close to the river, the
workers and their families appear to be largely left to their own fate.

Despite considerable investment and effort, the protective dykes broke
at several places before the actual water capacity level was reached. That
the dykes were breached at so many different places is perhaps not so much
due to technical deficiencies in their design as to the growing instability
of the river itself as it deposits silt in the lower reaches of its course
thereby raising the river bed and increasing the likelihood of a devastating
flood.

The Ministry of Water Resources Development is currently seeking to
implement the "Awash Master Plan" to research and develop ways of overcoming
(or accommodating) the problem of periodic flooding in certain areas along
the Awash River.

The designations employed and the presentation
of material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever of the UN concerning the legal status of any country, territory,
city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries.